Tonga marks Int’l Day of Sport for Development [1]
Friday, April 8, 2016 - 15:38
Tonga marked the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace on Wednesday, 6 April with an aerobics session and other activities at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall.
The event hosted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs brought together various representatives of the National Sport Federations of Tonga, who also had their own stations to demonstrate their sports.
The Australian High Commissioner HE Andrew Ford in his keynote address said the adoption of this day signifies the increasing recognition by the United Nations of the positive influence that sport can have on the advancement of human rights, social and economic development.
He said sport, as a tool for education, development and peace can promote cooperation, tolerance, understanding, social inclusion and health at the local, national and international levels.
“Sport teaches intrinsic values such as teamwork, fairness, discipline, respect for the opponent and the rules of the game, which can be harnessed to promote social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.”
The one-day program partnered with the Ministry of Health was supported by the Government of Australia, facilitated by Tonga Health.